Study Desk

"You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

But the number of bricks which they made heretofore you shall lay upon them, you shall by no means lessen it; for they are idle; therefore they cry, 'Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.'

So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw.

Go now, and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks."

They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came forth from Pharaoh;

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he has done evil to this people, and thou hast not delivered thy people at all."

But the LORD said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, yea, with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land."

and I will take you for my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.'"

For every man cast down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; wait for him by the river's brink, and take in your hand the rod which was turned into a serpent.

And all the Egyptians dug round about the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile.

Moses said to Pharaoh, "Be pleased to command me when I am to entreat, for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile."

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning and wait for Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

But Moses said, "It would not be right to do so; for we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God offerings abominable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?

So Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make entreaty for me."

For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them,

And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians.

For this time I will send all my plagues upon your heart, and upon your servants and your people, that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.

For by now I could have put forth my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth;